Thin oil for a compressor

[lexi]

I bought a wee 60 litre Rand from a guy. He said it needed thin oil to run proper in winter.
He was running it on standard Comp. oil and in winter it would not work. He bought another compressor thinking the wee Rand was gubbed.
Someone told him to try thin oil and it went great. I cannot remember what grade oil he changed to.
What is thin oil grade for this machine?

 

[Woody.v8]

Probably the start cap on it's way out or the unloader not errm unloading rather than the oil causing 5he issue.

 

[lexi]

Yeah the guy I bought from lived in Shotts..........that is even colder than Paisle. The wee Rand has been going great and the guy seemed knowledgable and very honest.
It was just for it's next oil change. I'll get the thinnest that is generally available.

 

[PhillipM]

Just stick a multigrade in it, no?
One of my compressors is running 0w-50 car oil, it does seem to run better when cold than it did on SAE40

 

[rtbcomp]

Probably the start cap on it's way out or the unloader not errm unloading rather than the oil causing 5he issue.

Not in this case - that would cause problems all year round. Problems with starting in winter because of the oil are well documented here.

I bought a brand new SIP compressor which has this problem and a call to their technical guys revealed that the wrong start capacitor had been fitted, they sent me the correct one and it didn't make the slightest difference.

 

[steve_s]

I put hydraulic oil in mine been like that 15 years or more still struggles in very cold weather

 

[Woody.v8]

Not in this case - that would cause problems all year round. Problems with starting in winter because of the oil are well documented here.

I bought a brand new SIP compressor which has this problem and a call to their technical guys revealed that the wrong start capacitor had been fitted, they sent me the correct one and it didn't make the slightest difference.

Wouldn't you say though that the thick oil causing problems is just highlighting the lack of starting torque?
The motor must be on a knife edge of being torquey enough if the viscosity of the oil is making a difference to it starting from cold.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Not in this case - that would cause problems all year round. Problems with starting in winter because of the oil are well documented here.

I bought a brand new SIP compressor which has this problem and a call to their technical guys revealed that the wrong start capacitor had been fitted, they sent me the correct one and it didn't make the slightest difference.

Yes very well documented,last year was a very busy compressor season on the forum.

Wouldn't you say though that the thick oil causing problems is just highlighting the lack of starting torque?
The motor must be on a knife edge of being torquey enough if the viscosity of the oil is making a difference to it starting from cold.

A lot of the smaller compressors are just on the edge, anything can easily upset them. Volt Drop and Thick Oil are the normal culprits.

 

[normspanners]

The motor must be on a knife edge of being torquey enough if the viscosity of the oil is making a difference to it starting from cold.

Most cheaper compressors are on the knife edge of starting.
Upp's Chris beat me to it!!

 

[normspanners]

HUM startin early this year !!



Hydraulic oil needs to have the antiwear additives in

 

[normspanners]

It is stated that you shouldnt use detergent engine oil in compressors coz it holds the dirt in suspension and can carburise in valve/ rings etc

 

[normspanners]

Problems with starting in winter because of the oil are well documented here.

Really


Funny enough mine gave me its, (oilchange- oilchange------ winter warning) tripped overload, the other morning !!
Even the wife 'POINTED' out it had suddenly gone cold.

A low pressure kink in the jet stream is bringing cold and rain to the UK over the next few days, forecasters say.

The un-seasonally high European temperatures that have warped railway tracks, and sent people diving into fountains to cool off, are nowhere to be found home.

Wind, frost and temperatures will hit, with temperatures as low as 2C in Scotland overnight.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the East Midlands, East of England and London and South East England on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Those regions will see “heavy, slow moving and perhaps thundery” showers, with some areas preparing for two to three hours of heavy rain .

Summat to do with the jet stream ( not the air jet stream----- coz the compressor wont start !!)

 

[rtbcomp]

Wouldn't you say though that the thick oil causing problems is just highlighting the lack of starting torque?
The motor must be on a knife edge of being torquey enough if the viscosity of the oil is making a difference to it starting from cold.

Yes - designed and built to a price. My cheap & cheerful SIP is a real pain in winter, my Clarke, same spec, cost £100 more, sits outside in it's own enclosure no problems at all.

Really

...

Yes do a search - you've contributed to most of them

 

[normspanners]

Yes do a search - you've contributed to most of them

AH ----- yes ---------thanks, must have forgotten, memory not it was... -----
must be the cold seizing up, the old mechanical brain, all those little levers and pullies

any suggestions ??

 

[rtbcomp]

Thicker stout in summer and switch to a thinner lager in winter.